Recently Celsius Network, one of the biggest players in the crypto space, put out a very unfortunate update pertaining to US customers: After April 15th 2022, US-based customers will no longer be able to earn interest on new deposits unless they’re Accredited Investors.
Is it possible to get around this? Yes, and that’s just what this article is about!
Continue readingLast month I talked about how I was trying my hand at landing a new job at an actual company rather than continue to work for an AML consulting firm. The bad news is that I didn’t get the job at the company that I so desperately wanted to work at…
But the good news is that I did get hired by their direct competitor, whose actually #1 in their respective space, and whose benefits and culture are pretty much exactly the same, and man am I loving it so far!
Continue readingI can’t remember if I posted about it, but late last year my partner and I decided to do something crazy and buy a house. Unbeknownst to us at the time, the wild housing market was just getting started, and we got pretty lucky to snag the place we did: a 3 bedroom, 2 bath Cape Cod style home that was severely outdated and needed quite a bit of work.
So far we’re about 1/3 finished with the renovations. There’ve been a few hold-ups, but we’re finally getting things done. And while that’s been happening, I’ve been getting used to living on my own entirely alone with my partner and our dog. Though to be fair, it’s been pretty easy. Living at home was nice and all, but I really enjoy having my own actual space where I can truly feel like an adult. Plus, our setup is super cool.
Continue readingRemember that AML/BSA Compliance position that I was hoping I’d get? Well, I did!
The last couple months have been such a frenzy. I left my title searcher position after like a month to take up an offer from a regional AML consulting company; bought a house for me and my s/o to live in; got super sick and was unable to use my hands/arms for days at a time…
Yeah. I don’t know how to explain that last one. I swear, it’s like I suddenly got slapped with extreme Rheumatoid Arthritis, but the doctors still aren’t entirely sure what’s going on. It’s kind of a work in process.
ANYWAY.
I’m not here to write a whole book this time. Just wanted to say that, for once in my life, I actually really, really, really am content with my job. It’s such a strange feeling of waking up and not dreading the idea of working, or not counting down the hours until I have to be back to work once I clock out for the day. I’m so glad I made the switch to AML/BSA Compliance.
2021 is going to be the year I make some decent moves to secure my stability. I’ve got a cushy salaried job that nets me $42k/year, which might not sound like a lot, but for my LCOL area and being entry-level, I can’t complain (plus, you move up quick in this industry). Right now I’m working on padding my emergency fund and paying off some credit card debt, but I’d like to accomplish this list of financial goals for 2021:
I think that’s a totally achievable list.
Regarding the realtor’s license: I’ve always had an interest in being a real estate agent. I mean, I love houses! But I’m also not the kind of person that likes my face (let alone my name) plastered all over signs and bus benches. So, I think it’d be neat to kinda do it “on the side,” you know, as a hobby. If nothing else, it’ll help get me access to houses on the MLS a lot faster and easier than having to wait for someone else.
Also, for anyone who isn’t familiar with M1 Finance, I highly recommend checking it out. I’ve been using it for a little over two years now and I couldn’t be more pleased. It’s such a great and innovative tool for long-term investing, and if you have $10,000.00 or more invested in your account, you can borrow up to 3.5% of it and use it however you’d use a personal loan, but at a much better rate ranging from 2% to 3.5% and for as long as you want! So much easier than trying to take out loans the old school way.
Alright, time for me to head out. I’m in charge of house remodel management duties!
There’s not a clear-cut purpose for this post, other than I need somewhere to jot my thoughts down, stream-of-conscious style. Those thoughts all surround a simple question: What do I want most in life, and how can I achieve it?
Continue readingThat title search/examiner job that I talked about interviewing for in my last post? Yeah, well I got “the call” Thursday afternoon last week, and I’m still having a hard time believing that I got the position!
Woohoo!
Continue readingI’ve got a lot of other things that I should be doing, so I’m gonna keep this short and sweet — it’s time that I start looking for a new job.
The job I have offers security and all, and it’s not like the pay isn’t decent either. However, dealing with customers? A nightmare. I’m tired of customer service, and the longer I stay running around on this wheel, the harder it’s going to be for me to get off.
Continue readingMan, if I thought it was a long time since I updated this blog the last time I posted, then it’s definitely been forever this time around.
I’ll keep it short and sweet, mostly because I’m lazy and, as a wise man once said, why waste time say lot word when few word do trick?
Not much has really changed since my last post a little over a year ago. I mean, I graduate with my Bachelor’s that summer, I fell in love, got my heart ripped out, and then somehow managed to fall in love again this time with the person who I’m absolutely confident is my soulmate, but who’s keeping track? Definitely not me. Besides, this is a finance blog. So, let’s talk finance.
Continue readingIt’s been a long time since I’ve updated this blog with anything worthwhile, but today I can officially say that I’m a real estate investor! Well, I mean — I could have said that quite some time ago, but, whatever.
Anyway!
So, the rental property that I purchased last year in June — I finally finished the refinance process! As of March 26th, 2019, the personal loan that I took out to purchase the home is paid off and I’ll instead have a nice, low mortgage in its place: a change of $346 to $122 per month! Here are the financial details to break things down on a monthly basis:
Rental Property #1
Rent: $550/mo
PITI: $220/mo
Maintenance Fund: $130/mo
Total Cash Flow: $200/mo
Not a bad deal!
Now I’m working on saving up for my second rental property. I’ve paid off all my credit card debts and the only thing I have left to make monthly payments for (out of my own pocket) is for my car, which should be paid off by the end of the year. Things are moving a lot slower than I’d like, but regardless, I think I’ve managed to put myself in a pretty nice position.
I’m also looking into moving my meager Roth IRA over to M1 Finance instead, which I’ve been using for the past weeks. I really like it. I’ll probably make a post of that in the future.
Lastly, before I make any more major purchases (i.e., another property) I want to save up a small $3,000 safety net. I’ve only got $500 saved up so far, so… yeah, it’s gonna take a little while since my paychecks aren’t exactly the biggest, haha. But hey, that just means I’ll have plenty of time to let my credit recover! Taking out the 19k personal loan to purchase the property, having to get my credit ran to get insurance rates and to refinance the loan, and also opening up an additional credit card caused it to drop from 803 to 750. Yikes.
From here on out, I’m going to keep track of my general financial health in each progress report! I don’t think I’ll include my physical “assets” such as properties, vehicles, etc. since their worth fluctuates a lot. Instead, I’ll include any money that is generated from them!
NP.
Financials | March 2019
Accounts
Savings: $500
Stocks: $188
Retirement: $2818
Income
Employment: $1500/mo*
Rental: $200/mo
Stocks: $0
*I purposely underestimate my monthly employment income due to me taking up to 6 unpaid days off per month for my illness.
I know, I know — I still need to write up my next progress report post. Before I get to that, though, I want to write up something on a new little thing I’m going to be tackling from this day on: small, doable, 5-step financial plans. Here’s my first one:
Yeah, it’s a pretty basic, but it’s my plan going forward: a simple, and most importantly manageable, 5-step financial plan to help get myself back on track and chugging along!
Neurotic Finance 